I'm Bored (review)

"I'm so BORED!" complains a little girl, who has a moment of hope for entertainment when she finds a potato ("You wanna do something?"). Unfortunately, the potato likes just one thing—flamingos—and it isn't excited about hanging out with a kid ("Kids are boring"). The girl's efforts to show it all the enjoyable things kids can do—playing games, engaging in some epic pretends—leave the potato unimpressed, so she stalks off in frustration. Fortunately for the potato, a flamingo appears; unfortunately for the potato, the flamingo's response to the situation is "I'm bored." While there's a didactic touch to the story, it's plausible that it's indignation, not enlightenment, that makes the girl abandon her ennui, and the karmic comeuppance of the potato adds a satisfying flourish to the tale's end. The text, which is limited entirely to dialogue, is perfect for a dual readaloud or performance, and kids will relish the opportunity to throw themselves into the whine of "Boring. Boring. Boring." Ohi's digital illustrations rely on spiky black linework that suggests linocuts imbued with crackling energy; the spare visuals balance the copious white space with touches of saturated color, occasionally filling the background with imagined realms drawn in pale aqua. While this might remind a few listeners of the endless possibilities for self-entertainment, it'll divert even more with the notion of goofing off with a sulky potato.